On Saturday's episode of White Sox Weekly on ESPN 1000, Connor McKnight talked to Chris Getz about the Arizona Fall League, and a few of the prospects getting a stage to make a leap.
Here's a link to the show, with the interview starting at the 28:40 mark and lasting about 15 minutes. Regarding the White Sox prospects we're following in the AFL, but I've spliced in the most applicable quotes below their weekly summaries.
* * * * * * * * *
AFL Report
YOELQUI CÉSPEDES
| Date | AB | R | H | RBI | XBH | BB/K | SB/CS | Etc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -- | 1/0 | -- | PO |
| Oct. 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0/3 | -- | -- |
| Oct. 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Oct. 29 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2B | 0/2 | -- | -- |
| Oct. 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total | 39 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 2B | 1/13 | 1/0 | .205/.279/.256 |
Céspedes is still wrestling with plate discipline, although he did manage to draw his first walk in AFL play after getting on base the painful way with three plunkings. He also notched his second double, but the whole bag of tools hasn't yet come together in this setting.
Getz said: "Strike zone judgment is going to be something that he needs to continue to focus on, but his swing, mechanically, is sound. Just needs to stay under control, not try to do too much. He's just naturally a strong player that doesn't need to expand and try to go meet the baseball out front. He needs to use the whole field and let the power just show up."
JOSE RODRIGUEZ
| Date | AB | R | H | RBI | XBH | BB/K | SB/CS | Etc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 25 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -- | 0/1 | -- | -- |
| Oct. 27 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Oct. 28 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2B | 0/0 | -- | -- |
| Oct. 29 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -- | 1/0 | 1/0 | -- |
| Oct. 30 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Total | 36 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 1 2B, 1 HR | 2/4 | 1/0 | .250/.289/.361 |
Rodriguez's game log is steadier than his slash line would indicate, and his ability to put the bat to the ball is still meeting the demands against more advanced competition. He also stole his first base, which is something I'm paying attention to as he moves up the ladder.
Getz said: "It just stood out: the passion for the game, the ability to play shortstop, the strength that he has. [...] He's never stopped hitting. From game one this year to his last game he just constantly was getting hits. He's another one that his instincts, defensively, in the box, baserunning, and then you break down his swing where he slots his swing, it's a very simple, strong path to the ball. Now that he's in the Arizona Fall League he's getting an even greater following. But sure, talking to other clubs, they're constantly asking about Jose Rodriguez. They're interested. He's an enjoyable player to watch."
YOLBERT SÁNCHEZ
| Date | AB | R | H | RBI | XBH | BB/K | SB/CS | Etc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 25 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Oct. 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0/1 | -- | -- |
| Oct. 28 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Oct. 29 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Oct. 30 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | 2/0 | -- | -- |
| Total | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | -- | 4/1 | 0/0 | .231/.412/.308 |
Sánchez is still getting limited reps, so while it's not great for the other prospects that Sánchez has more walks than Céspedes and Rodriguez combined, it shows that he's not pressing in the sporadic action he's receiving.
PITCHERS
| Pitcher | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominguez | 5.1 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Olson | 6.2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Moore | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Freeman | 4.2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
Johan Dominguez rebounded from a five-run, one-out disaster in his second start of the fall to throw three decent innings on Tuesday. His ERA is still in the double digits, but he just about cut it in half by lowering it to 11.81.
Caleb Freeman made two appearances, but one was an 11th inning appearance where he balked the runner on second to third, then gave up a walk-off single to the only batter he faced. In the other more standard outing on Wednesday, he retired the side in order with a strikeout. McKnight asked Getz about Freeman's progress over the course of the season.
Getz said: "[Freeman] has three plus pitches presently. [...] Sometimes professional baseball is a better setting. There's a better rhythm to it. There's more room for a playerlike a Caleb Freeman to be given the leash for four outs, to five outs, to six outs, for them to really gain confidence through more opportunities. I think that's where someone like Caleb, that's why he has thrived with the Chicago White Sox, and you're starting to see the progress with the limiting of walks, and able to show off the stuff that he has."
